Oil-pan heater for motor vehicles



Sept. 7 1926.

J. E. MCCAUGHEY OIL PAN HEATER FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 11, 1925lll @lL-SPAN HEATER FR EOTR VEHGZES.

Application filed `February il, 1925.

The purpose of my invention is to provide an oil pan heater of simple,durable and inexpensive construction adapted for use with motorvehicles.

More particularly, it is my purpose to provide an oil pun heater of thehind described adapted to utilize the hot exhaust gases for warming theoil in the crank -case.

Another purpose oi niy invention is to provide such a device, which canbe readily, easily and quickly installed on the motor veliicle.

llfitli these and other objects in v iew, my invention consists in theconstruction, ar-

frangeinent and combination ot the various parts of iny device, wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more hilly setforth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

ligure lushows a side elevation of a 'portion ot a motor vehicle engineand car equipped with an oil pan heater embodying my invention. l

Figure 2 is a top or plan view of the heater, parts being shown insection and parts being broken away.

Figure 3 is a detailed, sectional view talren on the line 31:33 ofFigure l.

Figure Ll is a sectional view of a portion ol the crank case or oil panequipped with niodiiied forni of my heater.

Figure 5 is a similar view illustrating an other type oit installation;and

igure b is an inside elevation oi" a form oi' the device shown in Figure5, parts being broken away.

parts of the country, where severe cold weather is experienced, inanyevils arise from stili'ening oit'the 'oil in the oil pan and cranli:case due to the low temperature.

ltiis well-linown that' where a car is kept in cold garage, the oilbecomes still". When the oil is stid, it is not properly conveyed to thebearings for lubrication, and they are frequently burned out when thecar is run .fitter the oil has been subjected to the cold weather for aconsiderable time. Another common evil in cold weather arises fromdilation oi oil in the cranlr case with gasoline and water. lWith myheater, the gasoline and water are quickly evaporated out.

in order to avoid these ditiiculties, which might be greatly enlargedupon, lliave provided my oil pan. heater. l have illustrated the devicein several. torina iler use Serial No. 3,376.

.used the reference numeral l to indicate generally the engine structureot a motor vehicle having at its lower part the oil pan ll. ln all theforms in which my heater is installed, l tap the exhaust manifold l2preferably opposite the exhaust valve nearest the exhaust dischargepipe, 13 with an elbow or short pipe il. The pipe le is connectedthrough a fitting l to a flexible tube 16. In the fitting l5 is acontrol valve 17. An ar'm 1S is fixed to the stern of the valve. livotedto the arm 18 is a control rod 19, which is extended rearwardly andupwardly through the instrument board 2O or the dash of the car.

The rod 19 is provided adjacent to the instrument board 20 with a seriesof teeth or fingers 2l adapted to coact with the instru- A incnt board2O at the lower edge ofthe hole 2l therein. The rod i9 is extendedthrough the hole 2l and provided at its upper end with a hole 22 andhead 23. The ilexible tube l? in all orins of iny invention is connectedat its lower end with a coil 2l.

ln the Jform of my invention illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 3, the coil2l is received in a casing 25. 'lhe casing 25 has at its upper end thescrew-threaded opening 26a, in which is mounted a suitable nipple 27.One end ol the coil 24@ projects from the casing 25, as illustrated at28, for connection with the tube 16. 'lhe other end of the coil, as at29, is mounted in the walls of the casing 25 and-is open to the outsideair.

The casing 25 is received in another cas-l ing 26 open at its upperside. The casing 25 is fastened to the lower side oit the casing 26 bymeans oit' the screw bolts rl'he casing 25 has an interiorly,yscrewdfnreaded, downwardly projecting extension 3l. projecting throughan opening in the casing 26, as shown in Figure 3.

ln the installation et the device now under consideration, the drainplug 32 is re inoved from the lower part oil the oil pan ll and screwedinto the extension 3l as shown ieri in Figure 3. The nipple 27 isscrewed into the o enin for the drain plug 32 for thus inst in ecasings-25 and 26 on the bottom of t e oil an.

The tube 16 1s connected with the coil 28 by means of the nipple 33 andthe installation is complete.

In cold weather, when the engine is started, the valve 17 may be openedand the hot exhaust gases will pass through the coil 24. The location ofthe fitting 15 is such that the exhaust gases passing around the valveopposite said fitting will be driven through the tube 16 and the coil 24for securing a maximum eiciency.

The fitting 15 is located adjacent to the l exhaust pipe 13 in orderthat the coil 24 may have the benefits of the exhaust gases from all theexhaust valve openings. The location of the fitting 15 opposite theexhaust valve is important and the location nearest the exhaust pipe 13is thus of considerable importance. i

The use of the device shown in Figures 2 and 3 makes it possible toinstall the device as shown on a large number of cars Without in anywaycutting the Wall of the oil pan and with a minimum of labor. All that isnecessary for the installation on the oil pan is to remove the plug 32,install it in the casing 25 and screw the nipple 27 and the casing 25 tothe exhaust pan.

rlhe portion 28 of the coil 24 extends through a slot 34 in the Wall ofthe casing 26. rihe slot 34 is large enough to permit the escape of theexhaust gases from the end 29 of the coil 24.

Use of the casing 26 affords a compartment or space 35 between thecasiugs 26 and 25, Which is always heated with exhaust gases and keepsthe coil 24 and the casing 25 Warm. l

rihe oil from the oil pan 11 may How through the nipple 27 in theopening 26"L into the casing 25'cand around the coil 24, and When hcatd1n the casing 25 will naturally flow buch into the oil pan.

With a device of this kind, the oil in the oil pan can be heated veryquickly to any desired tcmperaturenso that it will be sutiicientlyliquid to be properly carried to the bearings to be lubricated.

In come cars, the coil 24 may he used Without the casings heminbetorcreferred to.

i have shown in Figure 4, the ivali of the oil pan 11 provided withspaced openingsl 36 and 37' to receive the ends of the coil 24 on whichare mounted Washers 33 and nuts 33 tor holding the coil snugly andrigidly in place and melting oil tight joints.Y in the terni of thedevice shown in Figure 4, the tube 16 is connected with the end 23 otthe coil 24 outside the oil pau.

The term o-'i the device used in Figure is to he employed Where the coilifi/iran maarre be inserted into the oil pan through'some suitableopening originally provided therein.

Where there is no such opening, I provide the form of installationillustrated in Figure 5. YVhen the form of installation shown in Figure5 is employed, a suitable rectangular hole 40 is provided in the side ofthe oil pan l1. A cover plate 41 is provided for closing the opening 40and has holes for receiving the ends of the coil 24, as shown in Figure5, and for suitably supporting the coil 24. The plate 41 is placed onthe outside of the oil pan With the gasket 42 suitably located. Theframe 43 is placed on the inside of the oil pan around the opening 40and suitable openings are f provided, so that the plate 41, the oil pan11 and the frame 43 may be bolted together by screw bolts 44 extendedthrough the openings in the plate 41, the gasket 42 and the wall of thepan 11 and into screw-threaded openings in the Aiframe 43.

It Will be thus seen that When the hole 40 is provided, the coil may beinserted from the side ot the pan 11, While installed on the plate 41,and the plate 41 may then be fastened in position.

Either form of the device will in practical usc aiiord a satisfactorymeans for heating the oil in the oil pan.

As will be seen from the various forms illustrated, it is possible toembody my invention in various forms, and it is my intention to cover bythe claims of the patent to be issued upon this application any modifiedforms of structure oruse of mechanical equivalents, which may bereasonably included Within their scope.

li claim as my invention:

1. The combination of a motor vehicle engine having an exhaust manifold,an exhaust pipe and an oil pan, a tube connected with the exhaustmanifold, with. a casing dctachably supported on the bottom oiV the oilpan and communicating therewith for permitting circulation of lubricantbetween the pan and the casing, a coil in said casing connected withsaid tube and arranged to discharge to the air outside said casing, anda second casing receiving the first casing, supported thereon and spacedtherefrom.

2. The combination of a motor vehicle engine having an exhaust manifold,an exhaust pipe and an oil pan, a tube connected with the exhaustmanifold, with casing detacbably supported on the bottom ot the oil pauand ctunmuuicating therewith tor permitting circulation et lubricantbetween the pan and the casing, a. coil in said casing connected withsaid tube and arranged to discharge to the air outside said casing, anda second casing receiving' the first ing, supported thereon and spaced'there from, c l casings having registering cned ings, auentcnsicn en theinner casing to the ""1 llO ilfi

waaide opening in the second casing, and a closure device for saidextension.

3. The combination of a motor vehicle engine having an exhaust manifold,an exhaust pipeand an oil pan with a tube connected With the exhaustmanifold near the exhaust pipe, a coil connected With said tube andadapted to be mounted on the oil pan, said tube being arranged oppositethe exhaust valve of the motor vehicle nearest the exhaust pipe, andmeans forsupporting said tube on the oil pan, said means comprising acasing receiving said tube, said casing having an opening to receive thedrain plug ot' a motor vehicle, and a second casingscrewed into thedrain plug opening, the motor vehicle being provided with the drain.plug and drain plug opening, said coil having its ends mounted in theWall ot' said casing.

4. The Combination of a motor vehicle engine having an exhaust manifold,an exhaast pipe and an oil pan with a. tube connected With the exhaustmanifold near the Aexhaust pipe, a coil connected with Said tubrandadapted to be mounted on the oil pan, said tube being arranged oppositethe eX- haust valve of the motor vehicle nearest the exhaust pipe, andmeans for supporting said tube on the oil pan, said means comprising acasing receiving said tube, said casing having an opening to receive thedrain plug of a motor vehicle, and a second casing screwed into thedrain plug opening, the motor vehicle being provided with the drain pluganddrain plug opening, said coil having its ends mounted in the Wall ofsaid casing, and a second casing receiving the first casing and spacedtherefrom.

5. The combination of a motor vehicle having an oil pan with a tubeconnected with the exhaust manifold of the engine, a coil connected withsaid tube and adapted to be mounted on the oil pan, and means forsupporting said tube on the oil pan, comprising a casing receiving saidtube, said casing having an opening to receive the drain plug of a motorvehicle, and a second casing screwed into the drain plug Opening,tho-motor vehicle being provided with a drain plug and drain plugopening, said coil having its ends mounted in the wall of said casing.

JOSEPH n. Mcoauennr.

